Resilient Frome
Mirroring the rural to urban nature of the Bristol Frome through flood resilience
Our six exciting innovations will improve resilience across the Bristol Frome catchment. By the end of our project, we will have:
- completed a policy challenge review of planning policy in flood risk areas
- installed new telemetry to inform operational procedures
- delivered a river restoration scheme
- installed natural flood management (NFM) in the Frome headwaters
- constructed retrofit Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in urban areas
- implemented an innovative private funding mechanism
Our project uses a mixture of both rural and urban flood resilience across the Bristol Frome. These measures will deliver multiple benefits across the catchment. The measures will have engagement and citizen science at their core. The River Frome Reconnected Project has scoped these measures and undertaken feasibility works.
Map of the Bristol Frome Catchment Through an existing partnership and catchment wide solutions we will improve flood resilience. We will:
- produce evidence on the benefits of nature-based solutions
- trial new products
- trial new business engagement methods
Introductory video
(filmed prior to the project name change from the Frome Catchment Innovation Programme to Resilient Frome).
.
Currently we have/are:
- completed the Policy Challenge report and received sign off from Defra
- completing the Hydrometry and Telemetry equipment installation business case
- engaged with Schools and Businesses to deliver SuDS Retrofit
- engaging with suppliers to deliver Innovative Funding mechanisms
- beginning NFM engagement with Landowners
- beginning investigating feasibility of NFM solutions
- delivered NFM debris dams on Stoke, Patchway and Hortham Brooks
- delivered NFM restoration of historic ponds and other attenuation features
- identified a long list of NFM measures we would like to deliver up to 2027
- began delivering farm advice, woody debris dams, bunds and storage ponds within Bradley Brook sub-catchment.
- undertaking investigatory surveys to inform concept designs for River Restoration
- beginning initial engagement for River Restoration
- funding bid successful for additional Department for Education SuDS in Schools funding
Next steps
- installation of Hydrometry and Telemetry equipment
- continue to develop NFM options and Business Case
- prepare the Innovative Funding Business Case
- develop SuDS Retrofit options and prepare Business Case
- develop River Restoration options and Business Case
- deliver more farm advice, bunds wet woodland creation and more within the Bradley Brook sub-catchment
How our project is testing innovation
We are testing 3 resilience actions and 1 policy challenge:
- nature based solutions
- integrated water management solutions
- monitoring and management of local assets
- meeting the needs of new developments in areas of flood risk
How you can get involved
To find out more email us at flood.data@bristol.gov.uk. We want to hear from potential partners who can contribute towards nature-based solutions. Contributions can be in kind, financial or by working with us to deliver solutions on the ground.
Our long-term project aims:
- increase the resilience of communities and infrastructure at risk of flooding
- show and quantify the benefits of NFM measures and retrofitting SuDS.
- show the deliverability of retrofit SuDS through non-flood risk programmes.
- support sustainable growth and regeneration throughout the Frome catchment area.
- improve local monitoring systems in central Bristol to increase flood resilience.
- engage with residents and businesses to understand their flood risk and improve resilience
- engage with businesses to provide innovative funding mechanisms that contribute towards nature-based solutions
Who we are working with
Bristol City Council, South Gloucestershire Council, Wessex Water and the Environment Agency.
Page last updated: 09 Feb 2024, 01:05 PM
